Launched in the 1980’s by Carol R. Goldberg, Professor Rob Hollister of Tufts University and The Boston Foundation, the Goldberg Seminars have been an ongoing project to apply Tufts’ intellectual resources to pressing community challenges. For nearly two decades, the Goldberg Seminar reports have informed Boston’s civic discourse, leading to enduring changes. Read more about the history and impact of the Goldberg Initiative.

Renamed the Carol R. Goldberg Civic Engagement Initiative and based at Tufts University, this initiative is a cross-cutting approach to community engagement that facilitates collaboration between government, academia and community groups to solve some of Boston’s most pressing issues.

The Goldberg Initiative operates as a partnership between Tisch College at Tufts, the Goldberg family and The Boston Foundation.

Current Focus and Objectives

The current Goldberg Civic Engagement Initiative aims to better understand and reduce obesity among immigrant populations. Obesity is a national problem and while many programs have been created to address obesity, few efforts have focused on immigrant populations. In fact, obesity is much higher in this population when compared to American-born counterparts.

Develop and implement a strong organizing and communications strategy that will increase awareness and influence services, programs, and policy development related to health, fitness, food, both in-school and out-of-school time, with a focus on services affecting Boston’s youth immigrant population.

Presently, the Goldberg Civic Engagement Initiative, Mitigating Obesity in Boston’s Immigrant Communities, is in its research and development stage, identifying and interviewing key stakeholders to inform the initiative’s design and program priorities.

Financial support for the Initiative has been provided by The Boston Foundation, the Goldberg Family, and the Cabot Family Charitable Trust.